Wonderful 101 is a breath of fresh air for gamers everywhere. It's a fun new concept wrapped up in a beautiful high quality presentation.

At its core, it's a beat 'em up adventure game. It boils down to learning enemy weaknesses and scoring high hitting combo attacks. You control a group of superheroes who must defend Earth from an outer-space invasion. The controls are innovative andWonderful 101 is a breath of fresh air for gamers everywhere. It's a fun new concept wrapped up in a beautiful high quality presentation.

At its core, it's a beat 'em up adventure game. It boils down to learning enemy weaknesses and scoring high hitting combo attacks. You control a group of superheroes who must defend Earth from an outer-space invasion. The controls are innovative and take a little while to learn, and making that effort is rewarded. The controls are tight and become intuitive after investing a little time to learn and practice them. The Wonderful 101 also utilizes many features of Wii U's unique gamepad controller. The music and sound in Wonderful 101 are top notch. It has an over the top attitude and feels like a high quality animation is playing out before you because of the great sound and graphics. Everything about this game is polished and shines quality.

All in all, this game breaks new ground and deserves a perfect score for taking gamers somewhere unexpected and WONDERFUL!!!…Expand

I feel at the moment this game is a real example of gaming injustice. It deserves so much more praise and recognition than it's getting because it is a truly remarkable game.

First of all, let me get the negatives out the way. There were a few moments of sheer frustration, particularly with a couple of points where the game shifts to the Gamepad. However most of the moments ofI feel at the moment this game is a real example of gaming injustice. It deserves so much more praise and recognition than it's getting because it is a truly remarkable game.

First of all, let me get the negatives out the way. There were a few moments of sheer frustration, particularly with a couple of points where the game shifts to the Gamepad. However most of the moments of frustration I had were due to me not timing something correctly or me just not being quite good at the game and the aforementioned moments were few and far between. The control scheme takes quite a while to adjust to, and at points it felt a little finicky. However, despite what some may say I think this is a fairly minor complaint in the grand scheme of things. I stand by the view that if controls are a little awkward or finicky, but the game at its core is super fun and worth investing my time in, I can try my best get over any control issues (for example with Kid Icarus Uprising). This is Speer of like a fighting game. You could opt for drawing the shapes on the Gamepad, but whilst it's easier it's also slower kind of like a Simple mode in a fighting game. Learn to use the second stick however, and it becomes more intuitive. Like trying to perfect your dragon punch motion of a fight stick. It's about mastering controls and developing the muscle memory.

The most notable complaint I have with the game is that there are some mechanics in the game it doesn't do a particularly great job of teaching you. Wonder Build for example, whilst it doesn't come up too often, is really poorly explained (namely the point where it requires ALL your characters to be a part of the Morph) and to some it may feel like it throws you in the deep end a little too early.

Though honestly that's where the significant negatives end for me.

This game is just bursting with charm. From its zany characters, location and enemy designs (it was pretty amazing how every enemy looked very distinct and was wicked memorable despite the fact that they all used the same black colour scheme), the dialogue and interactions, the wealth of hidden content and extras and of course the super bright art style that achieves a comic feel despite the fact that it isn't cel-shaded and for the most part lacks the visual onomatopoeia that you see in a game such as Viewtiful Joe. Not to mention the various references made not only to games in Platinum's past history but also a couple of Nintendo's (namely Starfox and one other that I shan't explicitly say in the post as I want to keep it spoiler free but it made me fangasm).
Then there's the incredibly robust battle system. As I said before, I can look past control niggles if the game is at its core worth investing time into, and this game most certainly is. Once elements finally start to click, you start tying together your combos, start learning the enemy types and which Unite Morph is most efficient for taking them down as well. In addition to this there's various elements such as learning when to time your Unite Guts to counter attacks (and which attacks can be countered), making proper use of the Climb Attack and targetting system and proper distribution of Battery Charge to add yet another layer to strategizing your battle plan. Anyone who thinks this game is repetitive evidently is playing it incorrectly. There's an incredible amount of variety in this game.

Though the biggest thing for me that made me love it so much was just how much it empowers the player and how much genuine hype it generates, much like Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance released earlier this year. A large element of this is in the boss battles, which serve as (in my opinion) the highlights of the game. They're so grandiose and insane in design and are incredibly heart-pumping and each one gets progressively more insane than the last. The game not only makes the player feel like a super hero, but truly a whole collective of heroes. The whole concept of strength in numbers, and how this carries through both the story and gameplay really helps to accentuate times of strength and weakness throughout the game (right to the final boss, which serves as the most potent example of this). The occasional moment where you're stuck by yourself to tackle a mission/part of a mission feel almost incorrect. Not only does your character become rather feeble but the way they control in general feels almost off. And yet this isn't a bad thing, as it only really help drive the aforementioned point and theme home.

It's a real shame this game has been selling poorly. A real travesty. The gaming industry more studios like Platinum games. Truly daring developers willing to experiment with insane ideas whilst keeping the fundamentals of what constitute to an incredible game with so much depth. Whilst inexcessible, The Wonderful 101 is truly a masterclass game and definitely my favourite game this year…Expand

A game I waited so long for. A great fresh game with nice fast mechanics and plenty replay-ability. When I would be like 12 years old, I only would buy it for the box art and have the greatest time, like I had with Super Mario 64 and Smash Bros.. It´s Hideki Kamiya´s masterpiece: The mix of Viewtiful Joe, Okami and Bayonetta with a superhero theme and the intention, that everyone can be aA game I waited so long for. A great fresh game with nice fast mechanics and plenty replay-ability. When I would be like 12 years old, I only would buy it for the box art and have the greatest time, like I had with Super Mario 64 and Smash Bros.. It´s Hideki Kamiya´s masterpiece: The mix of Viewtiful Joe, Okami and Bayonetta with a superhero theme and the intention, that everyone can be a hero. For some people the QTEs feel too much, the length of missions may be too long, and the sections with the GamePad in third person view may feel too gimmicky and hard, but I had no complaints. It will be hard for the sequel to top this.…Expand

This game has an amazing thrill factor. The first hour you have no idea what you're doing, but this feeling is quickly replaced by pure adrenaline speeding through your body as you pull of fantastic combo's and dodge attacks at the last milliseconds. It's like you've suddenly become the commando leader of a group of power rangers and you get thrown into a laser firework show. This makesThis game has an amazing thrill factor. The first hour you have no idea what you're doing, but this feeling is quickly replaced by pure adrenaline speeding through your body as you pull of fantastic combo's and dodge attacks at the last milliseconds. It's like you've suddenly become the commando leader of a group of power rangers and you get thrown into a laser firework show. This makes the gameplay the best of it's kind. This is probably the reason why every other aspect of the game is built around the gameplay (like it should in most games in my honest opinion). The artstyle resembles that of superhero comic books and plastic action toy figurines and the music is a big orchestra high tension themes, which gives the game this hyped feeling. The story has a few surprises, but you will be more entertained by all the different characters and little jokes.

The only reason this game doesn't have a 10 is the controls. You need to get used to them at first, but after a while you blaze through it with no problem. For people who don't like the touch screen, you can also use the right analog stick, which shouldn't give you any trouble. So the controls are fine, except for one small detail. When you do use the touch screen, you end up accidentally pushing the "Miiverse" button in the lower left corner a few times. This might get you out of the experience at some points.…Expand

The Wonderful 101 defines innovation in modern video gaming. It serves subtle feelings of nostalgia within its theming (think Power Rangers meets Green Lantern meets Thunderbirds) and its ability to not hold your hand with freeze-frame tutorials that are infuriating and dominant in current games. It forces you to try every option available to you in almost any situation. While the cameraThe Wonderful 101 defines innovation in modern video gaming. It serves subtle feelings of nostalgia within its theming (think Power Rangers meets Green Lantern meets Thunderbirds) and its ability to not hold your hand with freeze-frame tutorials that are infuriating and dominant in current games. It forces you to try every option available to you in almost any situation. While the camera angle draws comparisons to Pikmin, the actual gameplay is nearly incomparable to any other video game out there. I can't think of a video game in recent years that has felt this new, fresh and exciting. The controls do take some getting used to in the early missions but that's nothing you can't overcome with a gleeful sense of accomplishment once you learn to attack with 3 unite morphs at once (it's possible, though I have yet to try this tactic with all of the unite morph attacks).

I cannot recommend this game enough especially since the previews caused it to be the killer app that sold me on the Wii U console. After playing the game it is definitely the killer app for the Wii U currently. Do yourself a favour and do not miss out on this modern classic.…Expand

The basic gameplay offers a lot of depth with various different weapons, which can be switched with a simple swipe on the touchpad or an easy motion with the control stick, a wide variety of enemy types, many different skills, and many different characters to play with. The combat takes some time to get used to, but onceThe Wonderful 101 truly is one of Platinum's best games so far.

The basic gameplay offers a lot of depth with various different weapons, which can be switched with a simple swipe on the touchpad or an easy motion with the control stick, a wide variety of enemy types, many different skills, and many different characters to play with. The combat takes some time to get used to, but once you get the hang of the controls and the mechanics of the game, then the combat becomes a very enjoyable and rewarding experience. The gameplay sometimes takes a detour with sections that play like Punch-Out!!, Space Harrier, and similar games (sadly not Star Fox). These detours feel very enjoyable and provide a nice extra variation to the gameplay.

The characters are very well stylized. The characters take on the "over the top" design that Kamiya often puts into his games, and pushes it to a new level. Most of the main characters, and even many of the side characters, in the game are filled with a unique personality, and the end result comes out to a very enjoyable story with a ton of fantastic dialogue and action.

The voice acting in this game is usually great. You can choose between Japanese and English voices and subtitles in the North American version of the game. Virtually all of the characters have fantastic voices in both languages, each of them unique and energetic. The exception being Wonder Pink's, one of the main female characters, English voice. Her voice can easily be painful on the ears, especially when she swoons over another character.

With a large selection of unlockables and secrets, many challenges, and extra difficulty modes, The Wonderful 101 is packed with replayablity. A single playthrough may take 15 hours or so, but the game tries its hardest to make you want to replay the game immediately after finishing playing, and it does a fantastic job at that.

This game is by far the best Wii U title to date, and it will probably keep that title for a very long time.…Expand

You have to be a souless human being to not like this game, the combat is incredibly fluid and satisfying, and, the game looks colorful and beautiful, the soundtrack is incredible, and it may have had some of the best boss battles in any game ever. The last chapter will make you go insane. The only thing which you may have difficulty with the steep learning curve, but once you climb yourYou have to be a souless human being to not like this game, the combat is incredibly fluid and satisfying, and, the game looks colorful and beautiful, the soundtrack is incredible, and it may have had some of the best boss battles in any game ever. The last chapter will make you go insane. The only thing which you may have difficulty with the steep learning curve, but once you climb your way up you'll find a pot of silver and gold waiting for you at the peek. It's probably the best game on wii u right now, and one of the best hack and slahes in a while…Expand

This game is for everyone who thinks the Wii U is too casual and doesn't have enough games for core gamers. This game will challenge you like the old days and when you begin to overcome a boss the size of Godzilla (and the W101 theme music starts to play) you'll be motivated to save the day again and again! Every Wii U owner owes it to themselves to try out this new IP as soon as possible.

This game has a lot of good things.
good dialogs,good character,an adictive gameplay
im very impresive of hideki kamiya. but i think this game
is a mix of devil may cry and viewtiful joe. but still better than other games
an excelent wii u exclusive. people should buy it

The Wonderful 101 does an excellent job of bringing a unique and fantastic game to the Wii U. While there are a few graphical mishaps that may disturb your overall experience, these are made up in both the game play and the fantastic soundtrack. Other highlights of the game are its in-depth story that seamlessly combines seriousness with humor and its use of the GamePad. In regards toThe Wonderful 101 does an excellent job of bringing a unique and fantastic game to the Wii U. While there are a few graphical mishaps that may disturb your overall experience, these are made up in both the game play and the fantastic soundtrack. Other highlights of the game are its in-depth story that seamlessly combines seriousness with humor and its use of the GamePad. In regards to the latter, this is the first Wii U game that I feel uses the GamePad to a point where it is an absolute necessity. Both the drawing of your "Unite Morph" and sections where you use the GamePad gyroscope and altimeter to control your heroes in a third person view are executed well. If one of these functions does not work the first time, the game allows you to reset and try again. The difficulty of the game is apparent and a welcoming challenge to the current gaming landscape as well as the games bright and bombastic colors. This game is a must-have for all Wii U owners and may just be reason enough to pick the console up in the first place.

What do you get when a well known game developer creates a parody of all super hero movies, Power Rangers, and the average over-the-top anime? The answer is the Wonderful 101.

Quick Review
*Gameplay is difficult and fun. Involves drawing lines with either the stylus or right analog stick, then turns into a strategic beat'em up. Contains sections that play almost exactly like Sin andWhat do you get when a well known game developer creates a parody of all super hero movies, Power Rangers, and the average over-the-top anime? The answer is the Wonderful 101.

Quick Review
*Gameplay is difficult and fun. Involves drawing lines with either the stylus or right analog stick, then turns into a strategic beat'em up. Contains sections that play almost exactly like Sin and Punishment, Punch-Out!!, and Gradius.
*Graphics are visual appealing, and have a great cartoonish art style with a lot of variety.
*Music is very good. Full soundtrack release worthy.
*The story is surprisingly deep. Humorous with some serious moments with lots of character development. A lot of references to other games and anime.

Full Review
This game is a perfect storm of comedy, seriousness, difficulty, fun, and innovation. If I'm not fighting a giant robot that can destroy half of a major city with one blast from its wrist lasers, to fighting against a team member in a serious battle. This game is an over-the-top roller coaster that every heavy gamer should play.

The game play of this game from the outside looks like a clone of Pimkin, but that cannot be more incorrect. Players collect heroes and the can "draw" a line with the Wonder Liner. Drawing a circle creates "Wonder Hand", a line makes "Wonder Sword", etc. Drawing the circle can either be drawn on the GamePad screen itself, or can be done by moving the right analog stick. This overall is a neat way of switching attacks and the different options to draw allows most players to find what is good for them and be happy with it.
Once the player forms that attack he/she wants, the game plays like a beat'em up. Some attacks have power over others, there is dodging, countering, and many other aspects that play a role. It is an action game that requires strategy and using the tools available to the players advantage.
Some Areas have the asynchronous game play come into play. This will require both screens unless one is only using the gamepad, then all they need to do is press minus, either switching screens or having both on one screen.
For any fans of Sin and Punishment, Punch-Out!!, or Gradius, you'll be happy to hear that this game has many different game styles in various levels based off these games and more! The Punch-Out!! levels play exactly like Punch-Out!!, except with giant robots.

The graphics of the game are very crisp and shiny. It's not the most realistic, but the art style is very eye pleasing and goes along with the mood of the game very well. The locations are absolutely jaw dropping as well. If I am not fighting a three headed robotic dragon while falling from the top of a tall skyscraper, I'm fighting in a underwater base deep beneath the ocean's surface.

The music, how's the best way to put this? Let's just say, I shoved money at my TV immediately after hearing the music hoping I would get a soundtrack. The best music from a game I have heard in a while. It has the feeling of a super hero movie, but it has that cartoonish feel. My absolute favorite has to be the Wonderful 101 theme itself.

The story of this game is definitely over-the-top, but actually is more than decent. Essentially, Earth was attacked by aliens that formed an alliance called GETHJERK (actually a clever acronym for "Guild of Evil Aliens Terrorizing Humans with Jiggawatt bombs, Energy beams, Ray guns, and Killer lasers"). There is a pretty good amount of character development, with serious moments to add a break from the humor. This story hits a lot of classic tropes but more too parody them, especially long winded intros to equipment, attacks, enemies, and allies. I mean, even the name of the ultimate move includes twenty five words and final three times!, There are many references in the game to other games such as Viewtiful Joe, Sonic the Headhog, Lollipop Chainsaw; as well as from anime such as Gurren Lagan, and Evangelion.

Overall this game is definitely an early gem for the WiiU. If you like action games with comedic stories, this is the game for you!
Definitely a 10/10…Expand

Positive :
+Action-Packed
+Epic Boss Battles
+Charming Visuals
+Amazing voice acting
Negative :
-Too Short
Conclusion :
This is a really Wonderful game! the combat is really fun and satisfying to play! the visuals in this game are really charming especially the character and enemy design! the problem is, this game is too short you can beat the game for 8 hours..
if you'rePositive :
+Action-Packed
+Epic Boss Battles
+Charming Visuals
+Amazing voice acting

Negative :
-Too Short

Conclusion :
This is a really Wonderful game! the combat is really fun and satisfying to play! the visuals in this game are really charming especially the character and enemy design! the problem is, this game is too short you can beat the game for 8 hours..
if you're looking for an action-packed game then i recommend that you buy this game!

Ultimately one of the freshest gaming experiences currently out there. The drawing mechanic is just superb when learned and implemented correctly. The game evolves in such a way that the player never knows what to expect next. Around the corner could be anything; don't be surprised if it's the next epic boss battle. The story is very fun and reminiscent of 90's cartoons. If you enjoy aUltimately one of the freshest gaming experiences currently out there. The drawing mechanic is just superb when learned and implemented correctly. The game evolves in such a way that the player never knows what to expect next. Around the corner could be anything; don't be surprised if it's the next epic boss battle. The story is very fun and reminiscent of 90's cartoons. If you enjoy a rewarding challenge due to a steep learning curve then this game is for you. If you want to pack things up and play the same old tried and tested formulae well GTAV just released. If you want something new and fresh that challenges all you think you know abut gaming, pick this up as soon as possible. If you want to know what to expect visually check out the director's cut trailer on youtube. Also, there's a demo in the eshop. Download it and play it...no...not once...play it about 5 times. You will understand why come the fifth time. Because by the fifth time you have taught yourself how to play and you will feel like a champ.…Expand

The game is quite complex and requires osnoeniya. At least 20-30 minutes, but it's worth it. Colorful, complex and addictive gameplay is the main thing in this game. On top of it can be traced style of Viewtiful Joe.

One of my favorite Wii U games out right know the combat is very fun, the gameplay is very responsive, the control is very good, the graphics look great, the story and characters are cliched but they make fun of how cliched they are, and even the quick time events are good.

This game is spectacular. It is absolutely beautiful to look at graphically and has a very fun, tongue-in-cheek sense of humor. The action is intense and a chaotic frenzy, with a definite need to learn as you go...but with practice you'll be pulling off amazing, fun, and satisfying combos.

Honest to God, I think that this game is worth buying a Wii U for....it seriously is that good.This game is spectacular. It is absolutely beautiful to look at graphically and has a very fun, tongue-in-cheek sense of humor. The action is intense and a chaotic frenzy, with a definite need to learn as you go...but with practice you'll be pulling off amazing, fun, and satisfying combos.

Honest to God, I think that this game is worth buying a Wii U for....it seriously is that good. You will be smiling the entire time you play it. Its original and fresh. Highly recommend.…Expand

Wonderful 101 takes the concept of "Nintendo hard" to a new generation. The characters are one dimensional, but unique and very entertaining. The gameplay is unforgiving, but highly entertaining and rewarding once the combos click with the player. Each episode brings a unique twist, with plenty of secrets to make the player rediscover each scene. Interesting enough, many of the charactersWonderful 101 takes the concept of "Nintendo hard" to a new generation. The characters are one dimensional, but unique and very entertaining. The gameplay is unforgiving, but highly entertaining and rewarding once the combos click with the player. Each episode brings a unique twist, with plenty of secrets to make the player rediscover each scene. Interesting enough, many of the characters share the same powers, but the game encourages the player to use every one of the heroes, but ranking each individual, therefore getting upgrades. Each villain has it's set of weakness, but the player evolves and adapts to each new threat that players face. Wonderful 101 is a fresh breath of air, and a much anticipated welcome to this amazing console.…Expand

Deep engaging mechanics, gameplay variety, charming characters and jam-packed with content. If any game out there is more meticulously put together than this one, I'd like to know which game that is.

Here we have a game that is also a romp through gaming history. Whether it be the old school, extremely simplified and easy to comprehend or the ushering and utilization of a newer complexDeep engaging mechanics, gameplay variety, charming characters and jam-packed with content. If any game out there is more meticulously put together than this one, I'd like to know which game that is.

Here we have a game that is also a romp through gaming history. Whether it be the old school, extremely simplified and easy to comprehend or the ushering and utilization of a newer complex control scheme. This is truly a collision of old and new, that polishes each to their highest potential of brilliance.

Unafraid to revive older gaming staples, such as relentless difficulty and lack of explanation. And wholeheartedly giving the player who decides to experiment and use creativity to master the main battle system a sense of accomplishment that is becoming a relic of the past.

This giant, eclectic homage to a myriad of beloved franchises and childhood aspirations is the very epitome of how a video game can invoke a sense of nostalgia without the use of well-known, established household names. At the same time, The Wonderful 101 introduces the current generation to a dose of what it feels like to experience the birth of a fresh new, genre melding franchise.

Once you get hooked and over a huge hump of a learning curve, you'll want to pour that 101% of your effort to see this story through to its conclusion. And I dare you to play it just once.…Expand

This game is great, but you might not understand at the beginning, just like old games, but once you practice and learn how to use combos, yo will not stop playing, sincerely, people claim it is a bad thing that a game is difficult from the beginning but that what makes some games great, such as complex fighting games where you initially do nothing, bt later yo can pull off amazing moves.This game is great, but you might not understand at the beginning, just like old games, but once you practice and learn how to use combos, yo will not stop playing, sincerely, people claim it is a bad thing that a game is difficult from the beginning but that what makes some games great, such as complex fighting games where you initially do nothing, bt later yo can pull off amazing moves. Buy it, you will not regret it.…Expand

One of the best games I've played recently. Insane, over the top action with funny dialogue, loads of Platinum/retro/cartoon/anime references, and excellent interactive quick time events that aren't time fillers. This game has multiple segments that provide diverse gameplay experiences. Shoot em up, boxing, and puzzle segments break up the high octane combat.

Combat is deep, satisfying,One of the best games I've played recently. Insane, over the top action with funny dialogue, loads of Platinum/retro/cartoon/anime references, and excellent interactive quick time events that aren't time fillers. This game has multiple segments that provide diverse gameplay experiences. Shoot em up, boxing, and puzzle segments break up the high octane combat.

Combat is deep, satisfying, and rewards skill with its scoring system. The Wonderful 101 does not hold your hand by any means, which I completely love. This game provides both a mental and coordination/dexterity challenge. There is a learning curve to the combat. It's incredibly satisfying to unlock new weapon skills/abilities and learn how to incorporate them into bigger, better combos. Multi-Unite Morphs are an excellent combat mechanic. You can have up to 5 weapons attacking the enemy at one time. You have direct control over the "leader's" weapon, while the rest will auto attack the nearest enemy. Playing with different Multi-Unite combos to produce a flurry of fists, hammers, whips, swords, claws, bullets, and bombs will have you coming back again and again.

The Wonderful 101 has roughly a 15 hr single playthrough story mode. With the end game skills that unlock, characters to collect for your team, figures to unlock, secret in stage missions, and the level scoring system, this game can easily net you 100 hrs of "wonderful" gameplay.

There is a multiplayer mode that allows up to 5 players in competitive score based battles against the enemies. Story is single player only, but there are multiple missions for multiplayer. Wii U Pro Controller and Classic Controllers attached to Wii-motes are all that are compatible with this mode. It's an excellent way to share the insanity.

This is a MUST OWN Wii U title. It provides a fresh, unique experience not often found in today's safe bet, established gameplay/franchise offerings. Do not pass this one up!…Expand

great game and completely insane in a good way. i would use the right stick to draw unites though instead of drawing them. The difficulty can be brutal and the game refuses to hold your hand, but each mission is so replayable to try and beat your time/score.

The Wonderful 101 is everything a great game should be fun, yet challenging. Engaging as well as rewarding. Don't be fooled by the Haters this is my Game Of The Year as of now. You owe it to yourself to see why i praise so highly. I love the controls they are simple at first and continue to develop. The game is perfect for speed runs. The soundtrack is some the best period. It has tons ofThe Wonderful 101 is everything a great game should be fun, yet challenging. Engaging as well as rewarding. Don't be fooled by the Haters this is my Game Of The Year as of now. You owe it to yourself to see why i praise so highly. I love the controls they are simple at first and continue to develop. The game is perfect for speed runs. The soundtrack is some the best period. It has tons of replay value with the hidden team members and other collectibles. If you miss out on this Gem i could easily see it be another earthbound a game that should have been loved ,but was missed out on by so many. I'm just a fan of great games and this is one of them.…Expand

You need to buy and tray this amazing game, w101 is hilarious, captivating, addictive, clever, majestic
Platinum games and kamija once again shows that low sales are not always a sign of a bad job,
the wonderfull 101 trully is one of the best games of the year

The most "video gamey" video game i have ever played. Instills you with a sense of Saturday morning cartoons feeling. Just a great game, when i beat it i stat in my chair and stared at the screen listening to the music and the ending splash screen for longer than i care to admit, definite system seller for me at least

This game is fantastic. With original humor and beautiful art, this game is an experience that is well worth it if you can find it for a good price.
Not recommended for small children due to sexual and off-color jokes, which adults and teens would find absolutely hilarious.
The controls and menus are confusing at first and there is a large learning curve, but don't let it discourage you.This game is fantastic. With original humor and beautiful art, this game is an experience that is well worth it if you can find it for a good price.
Not recommended for small children due to sexual and off-color jokes, which adults and teens would find absolutely hilarious.
The controls and menus are confusing at first and there is a large learning curve, but don't let it discourage you.
The ways that the gamepad is used come across as uninspired and lackluster…Expand

Games simply don't get much crazier than The Wonderful 101. It's pretty obvious the good folks at Platinum had a lot of fun making it, and if you allow yourself to get lost inside its over-the-top world, you might just have a lot of fun playing it as well.

You play as a group of superheroes known as the Wonderful 100 (the 101st member is you, the player). Hailing from different parts ofGames simply don't get much crazier than The Wonderful 101. It's pretty obvious the good folks at Platinum had a lot of fun making it, and if you allow yourself to get lost inside its over-the-top world, you might just have a lot of fun playing it as well.

You play as a group of superheroes known as the Wonderful 100 (the 101st member is you, the player). Hailing from different parts of the world, they boast a sort of wackiness that has somehow become rare at the superhero genre, which is extra weird when you realize how ridiculous the concepts of most superheroes are anyway. Over a colorful story about a futuristic alien invasion, the game pays homage to campy vigilantes both from USA comics and from Japan's super sentai TV shows. The presentation is very good, with a great soundtrack, excellent voice acting, and a wacky storyline that constantly makes fun of itself (like one of the antagonists constantly ridiculing the heroes' outfits by calling them "cosplayers").

The game plays like a beat-'em-up and real-time strategy hybrid, and let me just say you won't get far by simply button-mashing. Each main hero has an ability called a "Unite Morph": Wonder Red has Unite Hand (good for one-on-one fights and turning switches), Wonder Blue has Unite Sword (good against hordes of enemies and as a makeshift key), Wonder Green has Unite Gun (good against faraway enemies and fliers), and so on. You activate these abilities by drawing specific forms on the gamepad touchscreen or with the right analog, and it works very well once you get the hang of it. There are a total of seven main heros, each with their unique characteristics and specific Unite Morphs, and there are also a plethora of other abilities to get from the Wonder Mart. This forms the basis of a robust combat system, which is perhaps the game's greatest victory.

It should be said that The Wonderful 101 isn't a game for everyone, though. More casual gamers could be put off by the controls and the frantic action; this really isn't an easy game. More experienced players, however, will have a blast trying to master the plethora of attacks and defense techniques, and will get particularly blown away by some utterly epic boss battles. Words won't do them justice; they're INSANE, and amount to an unforgettable experience.

While the game's absurdly frenetic nature is definitely fun and original, sometimes the chaos is too much. This is reflected mainly when it comes to collectibles: you start with only a fraction of the Wonderful 101 in your team, and are tasked with finding new heroes (as well as memorabilia like Platinum Coins and Hero Figurines) as you brave the stages. So far, so good; the problem is that it's easy to miss little details with lack of camera control and so many things going on at once on the screen. Some of the collectibles are also hidden in totally non-intuitive ways, and the game suffers from having a lot of invisible walls arbitrarily preventing you from searching for goodies on every corner of a stage. Finally, for some reason you can't keep track of the heroes in your team in any meaningful way until you finish the game. This was a big blunder to me: each new hero comes full with name, country of origin, and all sorts of personal details, and yet the game prevents you to pore over those tidbits when you want to.

Clearly the product of a development team with a passionate vision, The Wonderful 101 is never afraid to try new things. Most often it works, sometimes it doesn't, but ultimately it oozes creativity and amounts to a very engrossing adventure. You need to give the game a chance in order for it to really win you over, but you'll few amply rewarded once it does.

Platinum Games like to put out hits and the Wonderful 101 is no exception. The art style is absolutely beautiful but the controls are flawed. Level time averages between 20 and 45 min and saves regularly so you can stop when you please. I am all for this game and think it is an original title for the Wii U. Cant wait to see if they put out a new Viewtiful Joe.

The levels are a bit too long but its so rewarding to finish a level. The controls are hard but you'll get used to theme, and the game pad sometimes has trouble picking a morph but other than that everything the game does is perfect.

This game could have been so much better but it stills feel so fresh and new. It's a must for Wii U owners.
The gameplay takes time to get used to but when you do, it's really great!
You can play up to five players and that's great even if that's maybe too many people on the screen.
The story is classic but well done. The humour is great and the characters design is incredible.
IfThis game could have been so much better but it stills feel so fresh and new. It's a must for Wii U owners.
The gameplay takes time to get used to but when you do, it's really great!
You can play up to five players and that's great even if that's maybe too many people on the screen.

The story is classic but well done. The humour is great and the characters design is incredible.

If you want a game that feels unique, go get The wonderful 101.…Expand

This is one of the best games I ever played on Wii U so far. The Visuals in this game look a little blocky in some areas but makes it up with the insane amount of enemies, projectiles, and detailed areas. The controls in the game take a bit to get use to but once you do it's tight. The gameplay in this game is like any other platinum game, fast pace insanity but never feeling unfair. TheThis is one of the best games I ever played on Wii U so far. The Visuals in this game look a little blocky in some areas but makes it up with the insane amount of enemies, projectiles, and detailed areas. The controls in the game take a bit to get use to but once you do it's tight. The gameplay in this game is like any other platinum game, fast pace insanity but never feeling unfair. The only main problem I have with this game is that there are a few annoying glitches. During one part of the game that you have to fly two ships at the same time the control sticks but some how get switched if the ships go past each other. Other than that this is a must buy game for both Wii U owners and and non-Wii U owners.…Expand

This game is an interesting one. its like they took the game pikmin and added super heroes to it creating a whole new game. Yes their is a learning curve and you have to get use to it, but once you do its a very fun game. Can it be frustrating? yes it can due to the fact their are some parts that wont be explained to you as good as it should. An example of that is when you do a uniteThis game is an interesting one. its like they took the game pikmin and added super heroes to it creating a whole new game. Yes their is a learning curve and you have to get use to it, but once you do its a very fun game. Can it be frustrating? yes it can due to the fact their are some parts that wont be explained to you as good as it should. An example of that is when you do a unite build at a certain boss were the game didn't tell me you needed 100 people, I had to go online to figure out what i was doing wrong. but since i now know what i needed that's really not a problem. Their is another problem i had with the unite build and that is at times their will be a strangler that wont go were u want him to go and he will just stand their and you have to re do the build over again. that can be annoying at time. other then that its a great game. its basically a good parody with its jokes with action that engulfs the TV. each charictor has their own unique personality. the game pad really dosent do much other then quickly drawing the shapes. witch i find actually handy if im having trouble drawing them with the R stick), some areas you need to look at the tablet to solve puzzles. you can actually switch the game pad onto and off of the TV, that can be handy for lets players so the audience can see what is going on with the tablet screen. their is multi player were 5 people can play locally. which should bring more fun and playability to the game. this game can be challenging however their is really no penalty for failing a mission other then a lower score. the game will continue were you died. but i will say it is a good fun game.…Expand

There are multiple inputs to drawing and one thing I think people don't understand is that analog drawing and screen drawing should be reserved for different uses, depending on the current situation. Analog drawing is meant for more combat-oriented unite morphs, like the fist or the sword. This is why these combat-based ones are more simple in shape. Drawing a circle to input the fist is There are multiple inputs to drawing and one thing I think people don't understand is that analog drawing and screen drawing should be reserved for different uses, depending on the current situation. Analog drawing is meant for more combat-oriented unite morphs, like the fist or the sword. This is why these combat-based ones are more simple in shape. Drawing a circle to input the fist is actually a lot like inputting a movement in a fighting game. On the other side, screen drawing is better equipped for non-combat morphs, like the glider. Drawing a triangle, or the glider, with the stick is a bit clunky, but works well on the screen, and the glider is a non-combat morph. Whether or not this was Platinum's intentions, its how I'd like to see it.

+ The Unite Morphs all have a "reason to exist" for lack of a better phrase. They each have a useful function and correspond to some kind of damage output. None feel thrown in or not as useful. An example would be how the sword deals a lot of damage to one foe, while the sword deals small damage to many foes. With the ability to perform many unite morphs at once, combat manages to feel both crazy and systematic, but above all, it sure is very satisfying,

+ Enemies, and the placement of enemies, are also neatly crafted. Enemies typically have a weakness to a particular morph. For example, the jello morph allows you to deflect cannons back at enemy tanks. This may seem basic at first, but as you experience combat, you'll find many hidden depths. While W101 has many CUHRAZY encounters, its at its best as a tactical game where you exploit enemy weaknesses with your arsenal of morphs.

+ Although there are some questionably gimmicky scenarios, the game never breaks from its core gameplay. You may be controlling a space ship from the inside and protecting both the inside and outside of the ship at once, but it doesn't feel out of place, gameplay-wise. An example of a bad time a Platinum game has done something like this would be the motorcycle or missile mission, which did feel out of place.

+ Every moment feels like a new learning experience. You constantly uncover new depth to the gameplay, and each new thing you learn from playing the game whether it be: recruiting enemies, picking up enemies, taunting, realizing the multiple tiers to Unite Gun and how it turns into a super scope should bring a smile to your face.

+ The game has an overly enjoyable and charming atmosphere. It feels almost as if you are playing with action figures because of how toy-like the characters appear and how each level feels like a play set. If you don't feel some kind of nostalgic value or child-like innocence, you must have had a dark childhood.

+ Many unlockables and modes add to the already existing high replay value which the gameplay alone achieves.

- Levels are ridiculously lengthy. Platinum must be out of their minds to think we could even come close to platinuming some of these levels, let alone pure platinum them. Long levels just do not work in a game like this. Bayonetta had a pretty decent length per level and didn't throw in multiple scenarios with too many tactics involved, where as this game does.

- As with almost all of Kamiya's action games, using items lower your total score something I've always been against in his games. We spend so much time collecting items, and yet the game actively disapproves of us using them.

- When you enter buildings, the camera switches to a more traditional third person perspective on the gamepad. This mechanic feels more gimmicky than anything and besides the one or two cool encounters that utilize this, it mostly feels like padding.

- Way too many QTEs. QTEs could have easily been well executed in this game. However, they're really just one of the characters yelling out a move you have to draw and they give you like ten seconds to draw something that takes a second. Personally, I think it would have been better if you weren't blatantly told what to draw and instead given a prompt to draw some kind of unite that might be fitting in this situation. Say, a giant rock came at you, and the game froze to allow you to input a morph. You wouldn't be told to draw a unite fist, but instinctively, I think most would draw a unite fist.

The Wonderful 101 is a interesting concept executed wonderfully (get it The basics is that you control a certain amount of people that can do a rush attack that does some damage and pushes enemies away. You can find some citizens to be hero's for the mission or find Wonders who will be with you every mission. To take down enemies though you will need the help of the Wonder eyes. (IThe Wonderful 101 is a interesting concept executed wonderfully (get it The basics is that you control a certain amount of people that can do a rush attack that does some damage and pushes enemies away. You can find some citizens to be hero's for the mission or find Wonders who will be with you every mission. To take down enemies though you will need the help of the Wonder eyes. (I believe that is what they're called) Each one has a unique weapon they use hero's for that can hurt certain enemies more or less and get through obstacles, also with more hero's they become bigger and change how they work, for example Red has them become a hand. It's close ranged and can interact by turning things in the over world, only change is a bigger hand by using more heroes, meanwhile Blue uses a sword. It's Medium range and can cut things up, and it gets longer range as you have more hero's. Finally green uses a gun that's long range and can shoot obstacles out of the way, also it uses hero's as the gun and bullets so you have to conserve your hero's, the bigger it becomes the more explosive the bullets but the more hero's it requires.There are more than these three and each is a joy to use. If you want to try it out first you can try the demo where these three are unlocked. Trust me you'll want to try the demo before making a decision on buying. The difficulty may startle some of you to back off, either because you can't change forms to fit the situation, Using jello to reflect cannon balls or figuring out how to move on, or you find battles to hard to complete, either because sword needs to be out to reflect lasers or gun to shoot first. It may seem odd that a game I fully recommend to anyone would have hard game mechanics to understand, but the personality and story is very good. The game play got very addicting once I got more heroes. This game is not for everyone but if you can learn it, a game with an excellent story and game play awaits you.…Expand

The Wonderful 101 is one of the most engaging games I have played in a while. The depth of the gameplay makes me want to go back and try to get a perfect score on every level, while the whimsical story urges me to complete the game. Every aspect of this game is the sort of over the top action that many games are missing today, both in story and gameplay. Some of the unite morphs do createThe Wonderful 101 is one of the most engaging games I have played in a while. The depth of the gameplay makes me want to go back and try to get a perfect score on every level, while the whimsical story urges me to complete the game. Every aspect of this game is the sort of over the top action that many games are missing today, both in story and gameplay. Some of the unite morphs do create difficulties, especially in fast pace battles which don't clearly tell you how to approach them(which can be nice compared to other games). However many of these are still difficult to draw and take away slightly from the pace of the rest of the fighting.
overall This game is very well done and clearly refined, along with having many unique aspects, but some of that uniqueness takes away from the intended goal of the game, confusing itself.…Expand

The Wonderful 101 is a adventure game, with lots of puzzles and enemies to beat up. It's great multiplayer for the family. I'd recommend this good quality game for the holidays if you haven't already picked this up.

I have just finished the game. I can say without shadow of a doubt this is a MUST buy for any Wii U owner. This game is amazing from start to finish and truly gives you one of the most memorable experiences you will ever have in gaming. Both enjoyable and challenging with a fun story and amazing battles. Boss Fights especially take the cake.

Definitely the best game I played in 2013 and the best game I have played in at least 5 years.
This game is action packed, very intense, has a high skill ceiling (meaning you keep getting better and better at it), the story is surprisingly good and has so many unlockables and secrets you will be playing hours and hours getting better and better.
It does have a few cumbersome sectionsDefinitely the best game I played in 2013 and the best game I have played in at least 5 years.
This game is action packed, very intense, has a high skill ceiling (meaning you keep getting better and better at it), the story is surprisingly good and has so many unlockables and secrets you will be playing hours and hours getting better and better.
It does have a few cumbersome sections however, but the good parts are so stellar I won't deduct points. The developers tried a lot of new things with this game and some of them played out better than others, but it's an overall fresh experience unlike any other.…Expand

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view.
The Wonderful 101 is one of the greatest games you will find on the Wii U and among the new generation of consoles. The game contains a combination of fresh combat, characters, story and gameplay all wrapped up in a beautiful looking game.
You control an army of 100 soldiers against an alien invasion, although you control 100 soldiers, there's really only about 7 members that add brand new moves to the set and interact with the rest of the members, each member offers humor and color to the palette, none seem a copy of another and never have a dull script. Where the wonderful 101 excels among other beat em up's is the combat system, you draw on the game pad a certain figure "like a circle or triangle" and command the soldiers to create a weapon corresponding to the figure, the larger you draw on the game pad the larger the weapon becomes.

The game pad responds accurately about 99% of the time, some reviewers may note that most figures are unresponsive but that's not true, as long as you know how to draw simple shapes the game pad will register it, the 1% it becomes unresponsive is when there's too many debris blocking the shapes from forming smoothly or your on a small stage, but this is hardly the case and even then it's not a hassle

The story of the Wonderful 101 won't blow you away in terms of freshness, aliens invade earth and you must protect it's shield generator to prevent the entire alien army from invading the entire earth. It's nothing we haven't seen before but it's the story among the members of the Wonderful 100 and third party characters that keep the missions and story going and fresh, some members have sad pasts that motivate them to fight, some have scores to settle. With each story you want to hear more and see it through the end, there's a moment in the game where I had tears forming during one narrative, there's lessons to be learned from the Wonderful 100.

Now the boss fights, O....M...G, the boss fights are ridiculous. Every boss fights require a large level of strategy to it, if you jump in sword slashing and guns blazing, your gonna die. Each boss is unique and truly memorable, I honestly couldn't get enough of the bosses and had the most satisfying feelin when the killing blow would blow them up to pieces or slash giant 200 foot monsters in half.

What I'm trying to say, buy the wonderful 101, one of the best games you'll play this generation, on the wii u and probably the best, most fresh game you've played in a long time, support the developers since this is an extremely underrated game…Expand

This is such a fun, fresh and innovative game! There is nothing out there like this. It is like a combination of Pikmin and Devil May Cry (with superheroes instead of demons etc). Fast paced action, Combos, funny dialogue. The one criticism I can say is that sometimes the camera angles can get a little troublesome but outside of that, like I said its fun and there is nothing like it out there

The Wonderful 101 is one of the most invigorating games I've ever played, and the one game that is necessary to buy if you own a Wii U. It is challenging. It does not explain itself. It doesn't hold your hand. And it's amazing because of this. Learning your way through a game is something I haven't experienced since two generations ago, and TW101 will require you to learn it. It'sThe Wonderful 101 is one of the most invigorating games I've ever played, and the one game that is necessary to buy if you own a Wii U. It is challenging. It does not explain itself. It doesn't hold your hand. And it's amazing because of this. Learning your way through a game is something I haven't experienced since two generations ago, and TW101 will require you to learn it. It's brilliant as an action game, and has a ridiculous amount of content. If any game deserves your money, it's The Wonderful 101.…Expand

The w101 does a lot of things right. It has a great presentation with fun characters and good humor. These characters deserve their own Saturday morning cartoon. It has a great style that mixes the Power Rangers with Viewtiful Joe. It has great action gameplay focusing on strategy based combat (switching between sword, fist, whip, etc. to defeat your enemies).

One issue with the gameThe w101 does a lot of things right. It has a great presentation with fun characters and good humor. These characters deserve their own Saturday morning cartoon. It has a great style that mixes the Power Rangers with Viewtiful Joe. It has great action gameplay focusing on strategy based combat (switching between sword, fist, whip, etc. to defeat your enemies).

One issue with the game was the learning curve. The game throws you in head first with little-to-no tutorial and the first few objectives seem chaotic. But once you get the hang of it (by objective 3) the game begins to become very enjoyable. Patience with this game is rewarded.

Another issue is the controls. Sometimes you'll find yourself battling the controls to get your characters to make the formation in which you intended. This can lead to frustrating moments, but as with the learning curve, you'll learn to live with the handicap.

Overall I recommend the w101 even despite its flaws. It is one of the few worth-playing exclusives on the Wii U console.…Expand

The only reason i didn't give a 10 to this game is because the touch pad-transformation/materialize transition NEEDS to be smoother in order to create a smooth experience, sometimes it feels like you must be taken out of action to morph.

Besides the little control issue, this game is a hidden gem. In a market full of generic shooters, platformers, etc this game shines, bringing lots ofThe only reason i didn't give a 10 to this game is because the touch pad-transformation/materialize transition NEEDS to be smoother in order to create a smooth experience, sometimes it feels like you must be taken out of action to morph.

Besides the little control issue, this game is a hidden gem. In a market full of generic shooters, platformers, etc this game shines, bringing lots of new concepts, a "pseudo"pikmin schema with a dark souls difficulty, action packed and beautiful graphics. This game truly is a gem.

For those out there listening to reviews, bad news about this game selling bad, well there are 2 ways of taken those : If you like really hard games, based on your skill and quick reflexes, where they dont grab your hand to do everything then this game is a MUST for any wii u owner. If you are more into a casual experience, you dont like to use your skills or quick reflexes and you dont like to be tested then this game might not be your cup of tea.

Thats its greatest achievement and greatest downfall, being in a target kinda niche where old gamers as myself will enjoy, love and remember this game in years to come but more modern gamers might not enjoy as much this game since its a bit complex, too much going on and might be hard.…Expand

I'm not going to sugar coat it. This game has a learning curb that will challenge you until you get used to it. But once you do and you learn how to react to different enemy types, learn to quickly use the controls and stop dying every 12 seconds, it's the most fun you'll have in a long time in the most unique twist to a beat-em-up I've ever seen.
It's hard even on Normal difficulty atI'm not going to sugar coat it. This game has a learning curb that will challenge you until you get used to it. But once you do and you learn how to react to different enemy types, learn to quickly use the controls and stop dying every 12 seconds, it's the most fun you'll have in a long time in the most unique twist to a beat-em-up I've ever seen.
It's hard even on Normal difficulty at first, it's probably what you would call Nintendo hard but instead of losing lives and starting all over again, it affects your score at the end of each stage. The game pushes you to be better at it and that's what I like about it. It is by no means a casual game, if you're a coward you will shy away from it, if you like a challenge and like to feel awesome then this is the game for you.
The art style of the game is toy like and that much is apparent in the view angle you have and the heaps of heroes you have fighting with you, it's also got humour that is seen in a lot of Japanese comedy and generally what you would find on Saturday morning cartoons as that is how the story is being presented. The characters are also that cartoon feel, they're quirky and ridiculous and it's wonderful (101 lol)!

I recommend you try the demo first, see if you like the gameplay as that is what got me to buy the game.…Expand

Hard to jump into but ultimately rewarding in every way. This is the kind of flawed masterpiece that I love most dearly ("Eternal Darkness" forever reigns supreme). The graphics are beautiful at a distance, but leave something to be desired when the camera moves in for a close-up. The game play is refreshing and surprisingly deep when players take the time to master it. For casuals, thisHard to jump into but ultimately rewarding in every way. This is the kind of flawed masterpiece that I love most dearly ("Eternal Darkness" forever reigns supreme). The graphics are beautiful at a distance, but leave something to be desired when the camera moves in for a close-up. The game play is refreshing and surprisingly deep when players take the time to master it. For casuals, this game is fine to pass on. Anyone who considers themselves a true gamer, owes a debt deeper than the blackness of space on their honor to give this game a few days of their time. Wonderful 101 is one of the best games so far this generation.…Expand

The Wonderful 101 was a pleasant surprise, if you ask me. I honestly did not expect this to be my Game of the Year for 2013. Yet, the more I played this game, the more The Wonderful 101 seemed to impress me. Everything about this game just screams Platinum! It is a simply breathtaking game.
The Wonderful 101's gameplay is quite fast-paced, something I'd expect no less from anThe Wonderful 101 was a pleasant surprise, if you ask me. I honestly did not expect this to be my Game of the Year for 2013. Yet, the more I played this game, the more The Wonderful 101 seemed to impress me. Everything about this game just screams Platinum! It is a simply breathtaking game.
The Wonderful 101's gameplay is quite fast-paced, something I'd expect no less from an action-oriented game. The game's combat system revolves around you drawing shapes using the Wii U Gamepad to create "Unite Morphs", which are essentially colorful weapons of destruction. Examples of Unite Morphs range from swords to guns to boomerangs (yes, boomerangs), and many of the Unite Morphs are associated with a particular Wonderful One (such as Wonder Red using the "Unite Hand"). However, a certain Unite Morph can be used by a good portion of the members of the Wonder 100 (later Wonderful 101), and some Unite Morphs can be used by everyone, such as the "Unite Glider".
The graphics of this game are quite majestic; quite frankly, they look beautiful. The varying colors tend to stand out during both the gameplay and cut-scenes of The Wonderful 101. The game itself truly aids in showing what the Wii U is capable of both graphically and gameplay-wise.
The story of the game itself became better and better as it progressed, constantly keeping me in suspense as to what was going to occur next, or who's back-story was going to be delved on afterward. Seriously, the story revealed plot twist after plot twist throughout the entire game. I was constantly in suspense during my playthrough of The Wonderful 101 because of this.
There was plenty of comedy within the dialogue of the game, as almost every character in the game seemed to crack a couple jokes; some of them more than others (I'm looking at you, Wonder Green). Furthermore, the rare censored cursing was a bit of a surprise (considering Nintendo was the one who published the game), but I merely nodded in what was mixture of respect and slight disapproval.
I think if had to pick two of the best characters in this game, they would have to be Prince Vorkken and Wonder Blue. Prince Vorkken had a pretty tragic background, in which most of his race was wiped out, with only him and his sister surviving the genocide. Of course, he then created (*cough*enslaved*cough*) an army of aliens and discovered how to use a variation of the Wonderful One's "Unite Morph" ability (the "Unify Morph"). And somewhere along the way, he decided to come up with a slew of catchphrases, puns, and satires to utilize against his opponents, including (but definitely not limited to):

"Blunder-Red"
"Blunderful Ones"
"Dearth"
"You are nothing but a pawn!" (that was quite ironic)
"We had a disagreement...he's taking a nap now."

Wonder Blue seemed to have had the most character development out of all the Wonderful Ones (perhaps tying with Wonder Red). In short, Wonder Blue's brother (along with his entire squadron) was murdered by a particular member (I won't say who) of the same squadron (who was actually a double agent working for "GEATHJERK", the villainous organization in the game). When that particular person is eventually found, Wonder Blue proceeds to go AWOL...repeatedly. Which eventually culminated to...well, I'll let you play the game and find out for yourself.
Overall, The Wonderful 101 is without a doubt, in my opinion, a must-have video game. If you own a Wii U, I suggest you pick this game up as soon as possible to try it out for yourself. If you haven't already, that is.…Expand

There is a a learning curve to this game of about 2-3 hours. After that, you continually get better weapons, combos, and abilities that make this one of the funnest games of all time. You'll feel an extraordinary sense of accomplishment as you look back on your progression of the game -- not just through levels, but the unique gaming skills you've acquired in mastering this game.

Platinum Games never fails to surprise. Those guys deliver action like no other company, and they always try to create something fresh, experimenting with new creative ideas. The Wonderful 101 is almost perfect game in my opinion - the gameplay never gets boring as the game teaches you new abilities that you use in both combat and level progression. The story is as cheesy as possible, butPlatinum Games never fails to surprise. Those guys deliver action like no other company, and they always try to create something fresh, experimenting with new creative ideas. The Wonderful 101 is almost perfect game in my opinion - the gameplay never gets boring as the game teaches you new abilities that you use in both combat and level progression. The story is as cheesy as possible, but since from the very beginning you can feel that's intentional, you simply fall in love with this cartoonish world, in which you feel like you're 8 year old kid playing with action figures with your friends. What's really cool about the story though is that the writing and character development are superb, and aside from all this cheesiness, there is some room left for universal themes like friendship, honor, sacrifice for greater cause and so on. Also the game delivers a couple of really cool plot twists, which I must admit was unexpected. The graphics is really sweet and the game maintains 60fps for most of the time. The music and sound effects serve as a perfect background for all the crazy action on screen, and voice acting is one of the best you can find in video games. My only complaint goes to controls - they are really unique, and I wouldn't mind if the game would spend some more time, letting me to get use to drawing shapes on the touchpad in order to perform "unite morphs"(you can draw them with the right stick as well, but I'm not sure which way is actually better), however the game is so amazing on other fields, that it's no big deal if you fail to execute command properly from time to time.
If you're a fan of previous Platinum games, you should buy this game right away if you haven't already. If you don't have a WiiU, but you're tired of repetitive, scripted games on rails and you miss the old days, when games were all about entartaining gameplay, then I recommend you buying a WiiU for this game(and hopefully other great games in the future). If I could, I would probably give this game a 101pts Metascore.....seriously, this game is a masterpiece and it's really hard to describe how much heart was put in this game.…Expand

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view.
SPOILER ALERT if the box doesn't work, then just quickly saying this review contains spoilers for the game's plot and certain secrets/references.
another qick note: at time of writing, I have only played the game on easy difficulty and started normal, but am still trying for a 100% completion rating.
The Woderful 101 is EPIC. everything about it is brilliant.
The gameplay is absolutely horrendos for around 2 hours. The fixed camera is annoying, the controls are unresponsive, and the game has no real flow. But then, everything clicked for me. After replaying the first few miisions with extra abilities, I found myself playing what was at the time, the best wii u game to date.
The attacks are fast and varied, and as you progress, new ones are unlocked just at the right time, so the game never feels repetitive. some of my favourite abilities are the sword and bomb, which both obliterate enemies. This is very hard to write, so the rest of the review may feel shallow.
At the start, the only real story is: Aliens are attacking, you've got powers, go stop them. But once the alien organisatin GEATHJERK show their side of the story, it almost takes a shadow of the collosus feel.
the artstyle just screams saturday morning cartoon, and gives the game so much charm, it's not even funny. What is funny however, is the writing. Each of the main characters has a distinct personality andonce again, this just dds to the game's charm as it's just hillarious at points.
To conclude, The wonderful 101 is extremely challenging but rewarding, esecially due to the fact that higher difficulties change the levels slightly, and can at first be a nightmare, but lets you work out your own methods at your own pace, with excellent bosses and design.
Almost perfect: 98/100…Expand

For those complaining that Nintendo needs a new, highly acclaimed IP here you go! This is a great game, probably one of the most original I've played since Wii Sports. You cannot get an experience like this anywhere else, and even though it may have a few problems present, you must buy this. Toys R Us has it for sale for 12 dollars, so no complaining.

Overall this is a brilliant game. It’s creative, original, and genuinely hilarious. There really isn’t another game like it on any other console out there. Sure it has it’s flaws but the many positive points and sheer amount of fun this game is to play make these very easy to overlook. If you own a Wii U, I’d say this is an essential purchase. It’s one of those games I’ll never forget, forOverall this is a brilliant game. It’s creative, original, and genuinely hilarious. There really isn’t another game like it on any other console out there. Sure it has it’s flaws but the many positive points and sheer amount of fun this game is to play make these very easy to overlook. If you own a Wii U, I’d say this is an essential purchase. It’s one of those games I’ll never forget, for all the right reasons.

For the full review (it had too many characters) head over to my darkadia page (dinosauryoshi)…Expand

THE BEST GAME ON NEXT-GEN CONSOLES, PERIOD.
The Wonderful 101 is everything you could ever want in a video game - innovative gameplay, intense non-stop action, insane boss battles, epic soundtrack...
Get out and buy this game today! It's only 30 bucks! You'll feel like you're stealing from your retailer! Are you new to the Wii U? May this game be one of the first ones you buy.

The people giving this game a bad review obviously don't understand good video games, and or didn't take the time to really learn the mechanics. This was was by far one of the funnest experiences Iv had with a video game in the last few years. The story is awesome, the voice acting is super entertaining, the mechanics are beyond good once you find the style that best fits you(I used theThe people giving this game a bad review obviously don't understand good video games, and or didn't take the time to really learn the mechanics. This was was by far one of the funnest experiences Iv had with a video game in the last few years. The story is awesome, the voice acting is super entertaining, the mechanics are beyond good once you find the style that best fits you(I used the right analog for some, and the touch screen for others) I had a absolute blast, and was sad when it ended....I very rarely replay games like this, but I plan on starting a new game to unlock some more stuff....Don't be fooled by the bad reviews, give this game a shot! You can find it for around 20 dollars brand new...and for that price its a Got Dang Steal!!!…Expand

This game is a blast. The presentation is great and it makes you feel like you are in a comic book that has come to life. It is hectic and full of action that makes you want to go back and try to top your score on each level as you learn to master the controls and figure out what combos work best.

Yes, there is a learning curve but the controls are not as bad as some other reviewsThis game is a blast. The presentation is great and it makes you feel like you are in a comic book that has come to life. It is hectic and full of action that makes you want to go back and try to top your score on each level as you learn to master the controls and figure out what combos work best.

Yes, there is a learning curve but the controls are not as bad as some other reviews have stated. My guess is that they just didn't take the time to master them. I suggest that you try the demo and if the controls give you trouble, watch the youtube videos that have been posted that show how to work the combos. If you aren't great at heads-up drawing, try using the right stick to "draw" the shapes. It really is just like doing special moves and combos in a fighting game.

Once you get the hang of it, the game is brilliant and addicting.…Expand

I don't even know where to begin. The Wonderful 101 is perhaps the funnest game I've ever played in my entire life! The controls are beyond imagination for a video game- truly the pinnacle of perfection in my honest opinion. This is a game which provides the player with layer upon layer of depth- the more time you invest to master the complex and rewarding input, the more you'll get out ofI don't even know where to begin. The Wonderful 101 is perhaps the funnest game I've ever played in my entire life! The controls are beyond imagination for a video game- truly the pinnacle of perfection in my honest opinion. This is a game which provides the player with layer upon layer of depth- the more time you invest to master the complex and rewarding input, the more you'll get out of the game, and I love this game for that. It's not a game where you just mash buttons with "A to execute" for everything. You have to know what you're doing, and you must learn to do it well.

For the first time in many years, I'm acually thoroughly impressed, and feel every last penny of the $59.99 was worth it. If I could only own 1 game on the Wii U, this would be it, although Pikmin 3 would be a close second. This game is EVERYTHING I play games for. A masterpiece in the truest sense of the word.…Expand

This game represents the reason why we play games: to have fun and be challenged!
You only have to be aware that it might take 1 or 2 hours of gameplay to be immersed in the challenge that awaits you. Enjoy the ride

The Wonderful 101 is a whirlwind of action adventure that doesn't borrow from others. It holds it's own ground of originality that shows what happens when you get companys like Platinum Games and Nintendo on the same side. Don't mistake this to be a Pikmin like game because it is far from it.
Visuals are top notch in a fluid 60fps stage of a fast paced action world of colorful particleThe Wonderful 101 is a whirlwind of action adventure that doesn't borrow from others. It holds it's own ground of originality that shows what happens when you get companys like Platinum Games and Nintendo on the same side. Don't mistake this to be a Pikmin like game because it is far from it.
Visuals are top notch in a fluid 60fps stage of a fast paced action world of colorful particle effects and cleverly designed characters. The cartoon feel compliments the color pallet that drives the visuals to a certain degree of saturday morning fun.
Gameplay, a little tricky at first proves it could be enjoyed by everyone. You have a choice to use the gamepad to execute wonder morphs, right analogue stick, or even the wii U pro controller. Drawing on the gamepad works but forces you to look away from the screen which I would recommend the right analogue for execution but luckily when the move is being preformed the whole world slows down so you can get it right without being pummeled right away. You can play the whole game on the gamepad but who doesn't want to admire this on the big screen.
The soundtrack is the next best thing, it fits the game PERFECTLY giving you the super hero embrace of empowerment that just compliments each boss battle and scenario. This is no synthesized soundtrack but a full orchestra backing this up. They spared no expensive when it came to the soundtrack which every great game needs.
Convincing voice acting delivers a good balance of witty humor and cheesy dialogue that reaches not only to the younger audience but with jokes that even adults can appreciate.
The story isn't necessarily it's strong point but like many action series such as The Thunder birds and The Power Rangers, they all shared a weekly structure they kept you coming back for more that wasn't story driven. The Wonderful 101 even on it's easy mode will kick your butt but after completing it, you can go back for a second round but with enemies shuffled around forcing you to change your strategy.
The Wonderful 101 shouldn't be ignored because of the child like themes but should be appreciated of what it achieves. All this may sound biased but I truly believe this is a system seller that shows off what the Wii U can do when a developer like Platinum Games builds a game from the ground up. If you were on the fence about The Wonderful 101 an eShop demo is available giving you a taste of things to come.…Expand

Masterpiece. What should a video game be? I say equal parts fun, challenging, with some beautiful graphics. Wonderful 101 has this and it's a completely new experience! Part beat up, part street fighter, part star fox, part rpg. This game is in it's own class. Platinum games u have done well. Thank you.

The last fatigue of Platinum Games is an awesome game, a masterpiece. Level design is excellent, it offers a lot of secrets ways for secret and optional trials/mission, it's so challenging explore the entire level with "head".
Character design is beautiful, i mean, there are a lot of quotes of anime, manga, japan culture and even auto-quotes of Platinum Games itself...all the charactersThe last fatigue of Platinum Games is an awesome game, a masterpiece. Level design is excellent, it offers a lot of secrets ways for secret and optional trials/mission, it's so challenging explore the entire level with "head".
Character design is beautiful, i mean, there are a lot of quotes of anime, manga, japan culture and even auto-quotes of Platinum Games itself...all the characters are funny and charismatic...and...wow, we've got 100 unique heroes, each one of them have got his personal page with weapons, descriptions, name, ecc.
This game is so reach of content, it's really wonderful. But now, let's talk about one of the most important thing of the game: the battle system. Is truly genial, it's the summa of precedent PG (or Clover Studios) games, like Okami, Bayonetta, Viewtiful Joe, but also add new features, like the morfo unions, that are absolutely genius. It's fust, technical, deep and offers a lot of opportunities.
The game itself offer during the main story an incredible amount of different situations, it's a surprise after a surprise, from the beginning, to the end...and there is epicness at amazing level.
This W101 is my favourite Wii U game, it's awesome and a like to prize originality. The has got some defects, but all of theme are destroyed by the quality of the product, in its entirely.
This is probably my favourite Platinum Games game ever and one of my favourite game of all time...it fits perfectly on Wii U and its line up.…Expand

This game is a through back to the innocence of childhood, it has over the top anime plot with the nostalgic feeling of a Saturday morning cartoon show of super hero band saving the day. To describe the plot as "epic" is an understatement!

It also has sections where the gameplay drastically changes, you have the beat-em-up, your Starfox shooter, and your punch-out, to name a few. ThisThis game is a through back to the innocence of childhood, it has over the top anime plot with the nostalgic feeling of a Saturday morning cartoon show of super hero band saving the day. To describe the plot as "epic" is an understatement!

It also has sections where the gameplay drastically changes, you have the beat-em-up, your Starfox shooter, and your punch-out, to name a few. This game feels fresh, original, and creative compared to the mainstream games we love today.

The reason I gave it a 10 is because I believe this is an instant classic! a gem of a game in this day and age, an experience that should not be missed! it's not a perfect, but if you are gamer enough, you won't have any trouble with it!

so instead of explaining to you what makes the game great, I'll ask you a bunch of question, and you can count the pros and cons yourself ;)

What a game, was playing it again last night!
Gonna go for full completion. It may take me quite some time.
Starting to master the juggling now, even though I finished it in normal and had felt that I had the combat mastered, I was so wrong. The learning curve seems infinite.
WHAT A GAME. GOTY for me too.
I thought Pikmin 3Wonderful 101 is my personal game of the year 2013.

What a game, was playing it again last night!

Gonna go for full completion. It may take me quite some time.

Starting to master the juggling now, even though I finished it in normal and had felt that I had the combat mastered, I was so wrong. The learning curve seems infinite.

The W101 is a breath of fresh air on the WiiU. For those who are a bit over Mario and are looking for something with the equal amount of charm mixed with over the top action and combat then this is something you definitely want to try.

The combat at first can take a while to get used to but over time you get the hang of it. I did have some issues with the controls occasionally as someThe W101 is a breath of fresh air on the WiiU. For those who are a bit over Mario and are looking for something with the equal amount of charm mixed with over the top action and combat then this is something you definitely want to try.

The combat at first can take a while to get used to but over time you get the hang of it. I did have some issues with the controls occasionally as some of the shapes on the gamepad need to be drawn quite accurately for it to 'unite'. The controls aren't perfect but they do work the majority of the time.

What makes this game stand out is its rich colours and the humour that the characters have. Some of the jokes are aimed more at teenagers/adults than young kids. The story, while over the top and a bit silly, has surprising depth which I was surprised to find. The characters are interesting and there is even a tragic flashback story for one of the main characters.

Mixed in with incredible combat, this is action that never lets go of you. From the moment you start the game to the incredibly climatic boss finale, you will rarely get a moment's rest. I was not disappointed with this game and for those who have played Platinum Games previous works, you can expect similar play styles to Bayonetta.

The gamepad is used reasonably well though nothing to make you go 'oh my god that was so clever!'. The game also doesn't explain itself fully to you so there will be times where you might be wondering around trying to work out what to do next but at the same time this is part of the fun of experimentation.

This is one game that I am very happy to have and glad I have my WiiU for.…Expand

Excellent game with an wonderful presentation. Controls are tight but do require practice to master. IGN made it clear it is not easy to master, but this doesn't mean they are not good at all. Certainly worth purchasing as more games like this should be promoted.

The Wonderful 101 brings something incredibly unique to the Wii U. The story is fantastic, the characters are brilliant and the game play is something that has never been done before. The art style feels like a mix of Viewtiful Joe, Zelda Wind Waker and Power Rangers. If you have a Wii U, this is the first game you should play through, as it is an experience that only the Wii U can offer!The Wonderful 101 brings something incredibly unique to the Wii U. The story is fantastic, the characters are brilliant and the game play is something that has never been done before. The art style feels like a mix of Viewtiful Joe, Zelda Wind Waker and Power Rangers. If you have a Wii U, this is the first game you should play through, as it is an experience that only the Wii U can offer! I cannot recommend enough!…Expand

When switching weapons in a fast paced action game that requires quick reflexes and split second timing it is vital that the player is able to do so as quickly and efficiently as possible. Traditionally this has been achieved using a normal control pad and a single button press, The Wonderful 101 does things a little differently (much to my annoyance). To change weapons in The WonderfulWhen switching weapons in a fast paced action game that requires quick reflexes and split second timing it is vital that the player is able to do so as quickly and efficiently as possible. Traditionally this has been achieved using a normal control pad and a single button press, The Wonderful 101 does things a little differently (much to my annoyance). To change weapons in The Wonderful 101 (an action which will be required thousands of times) the player must look down at the gamepads touchscreen, remove the stylus from it's holster, draw a squiggly line roughly in the shape of the weapon they want to select then quickly press one of the face buttons, put the stylus away and look back up at the TV screen and continue playing. Oh and that's when it works, there will be many times you will mess up and have to do it all again, just to change weapons.

But the controls are just the beginning of this games problems. Levels are mostly made up of a series of skirmishes involving enemies with health bars that require far too many hits to deplete. With a combat system that has none of depths or nuance of it's big sister Bayonetta you know your in button mashing territory and my god does it feel like hard work.

Artistically the graphics look nice but the flashy visual effects make it impossible to see where your tiny little men are or sometimes even distinguish them from enemies. The static camera also obstructs your view regularly.

The pain keeps piling on in the form of an indecipherable leveling up system and when unreliable touch screen controls combine with irritating quick time events the game becomes virtually unplayable.

On a positive note the voice acting is very good but that counts for little when the game underneath is so horribly broken. Hopefully lessons will be learned here as to not shoehorn touch screen controls into games where it is not necessary or logical to do so.…Expand

Easily one of the worst games I've ever played. Don't play it.
For those who claim that difficulty makes a game worthwhile I'm playing it on "normal." Games are meant to be fun, not difficult. Difficulty should be a choice not a requirement. It is stupid to make a game look so childish then be so difficult. It is great this is not going to be a viable IP. It should stay that way. Don'tEasily one of the worst games I've ever played. Don't play it.
For those who claim that difficulty makes a game worthwhile I'm playing it on "normal." Games are meant to be fun, not difficult. Difficulty should be a choice not a requirement. It is stupid to make a game look so childish then be so difficult. It is great this is not going to be a viable IP. It should stay that way. Don't waste money on this nonsense.…Expand

If you know and play Platinum's popular games like Bayonetta 1 & 2, then you know what to expect with Wonderful 101, also by Platinum: it will be frantic, it will have crazy big-ass bosses, it will rate you with pure platinum, platinum, gold, silver, bronze or er... consolation medal (means you sucked at that particular segment of the game - which I did for quite a few parts of the game).If you know and play Platinum's popular games like Bayonetta 1 & 2, then you know what to expect with Wonderful 101, also by Platinum: it will be frantic, it will have crazy big-ass bosses, it will rate you with pure platinum, platinum, gold, silver, bronze or er... consolation medal (means you sucked at that particular segment of the game - which I did for quite a few parts of the game). However, it's different from Bayonetta though.

The premise of Wonderful 101 is all about rather quick drawing reflexes. The whole game is based on having a group of tiny heroes that "form" (called unite morph!) the weapon you use against the alien invaders. And to "form" the weapon, you have to draw it out e.g. for a sword, it's a straight line up then press A; for claws, it's a reverse Z then press A; etc. So mostly the learning curve really revolves around drawing the weapon. (here's a hint: use the right thumb pad, I found it more responsive than drawing on the touchpad).

My first 2-3 missions was a chore as I struggled to find my balance in how to draw the darned shapes. So I really hated it at first. But once I got the hang of it, I started enjoying it more as the game became much smoother and I became more proficient at getting at enemies. In fact, I found Wonderful 101 much easier to pickup than the 3DS' Kid Icarus Uprising which I gave up on as I hated its controls - I would say Wonderful 101's gameplay is saved by the responsiveness of the right thumb pad. Like Bayonetta, what kept me going at the game is that there is generally some freshness in every mission, and the bosses are really fun to deal with.

Plus the game's storyline can offer a chuckle or two. Generally the game doesn't take itself too seriously so it has a lot of slapstick comedy, which is actually quite funny. Even bosses add to the comedy.

However, there are some things that irk me in the game. Firstly, the camera angle. Sometimes it's hard to tell which way you're supposed to go because it's very limited in it's panning. It gets worse when you're inside a building and you have to use the game pad to move around - it's a pain. Sometimes it's because of the horrible camera angle means I fall to my death because I can't see where I'm going. Secondly, quick time events. Those frantic button presses at some points in the game is stupid and gives me repetitive strain injury. I think it could've done without it. Thirdly, sometimes the wrong unite morphs get registered and you end up using the wrong weapon and you have to frantically redraw. Fortunately, Platinum was smart enough stop time when you draw, so you don't get hammered. Fourthly, there are some cheap deaths. Sometimes, it's because I'm landed in a totally foreign situation where there is no hint on what I'm supposed to do and some moving contraption just killed me off.

Overall, I felt the game overall was actually quite difficult. I played it on Very Easy and even then I died quite a few times. But the storyline and the variations in gameplay did keep me going to the end. I think this game could be much much better if they sorted out the camera angles and ease the controls a little. If you're looking for a perfect Platinum game, play Bayonetta 2. The Wonderful 101 feels more like a prelude to the greatness contained in Bayonetta 2. What Platinum didn't get right in Wonderful 101, they perfected in Bayonetta 2.…Expand

The game is good. The quality is there, but I thought it was going to be something better. Gaming sites were patronizing the game as if it was going to be a system seller when it is not. The game is good, enjoyable and a good purchase if you love action games, but there are more thing to play on the WII U so I would not recommended unless you have played all games available on WII UThe game is good. The quality is there, but I thought it was going to be something better. Gaming sites were patronizing the game as if it was going to be a system seller when it is not. The game is good, enjoyable and a good purchase if you love action games, but there are more thing to play on the WII U so I would not recommended unless you have played all games available on WII U because I would recommend any game before this one.…Expand

W101 is the most fun I had for a long time. It's humor, presentation and style are exhilarating! There's no other game like it, very original, and almost a MANDATORY game; just be warned it gets confusing as hell with lots of things happening really fast, what can put some people off. But if you can pass the learning curve you play one of the most exceptional achievements in gaming.

THE GOOD: Its beautiful to look at. The story starts off somewhat simple but evolves into a very deep story full of plot twists. The amount of variety in attacks makes for excellent replay value. The game uses the gamepad very well Excellent voice acting for most characters. Insane bosses that are some of the most fun and memorable boss fights i've ever experienced in a game. ItsTHE GOOD: Its beautiful to look at. The story starts off somewhat simple but evolves into a very deep story full of plot twists. The amount of variety in attacks makes for excellent replay value. The game uses the gamepad very well Excellent voice acting for most characters. Insane bosses that are some of the most fun and memorable boss fights i've ever experienced in a game. Its challenging even on the easiest difficulty. Its got a decent amount of length, not really a short game. The characters are cool, even if they are somewhat of comic book stereotypes. There is a lot of strategy required. You cannot simply mash a button to win in this game.

THE NOT-SO GOOD: There is somewhat of a learning-curve you may need to adjust to. Sometimes in rare cases the screen will zoom out of place on the characters so that they are hard to see. Wonder-Green has an annoying voice lol

This game is terrific. Wether you agree with that or disagree seems to be a matter of tastes and colours.

If you like a challenge, a fast action-packed and unique or at least rare gameplay, this is for you. This game offers challenges which seem impossible at first. It leaves it up to you to discover things like enemy weak point, element-resistent weapons, touch-screen vs d-pad controlsThis game is terrific. Wether you agree with that or disagree seems to be a matter of tastes and colours.

If you like a challenge, a fast action-packed and unique or at least rare gameplay, this is for you. This game offers challenges which seem impossible at first. It leaves it up to you to discover things like enemy weak point, element-resistent weapons, touch-screen vs d-pad controls etc. And the satisfaction of figuring it all out on yourself without the game holding your hand.

There's unlockables, extra completion content many other things to figure out, even when you already beat the game. Replayability is therefore quite high.

It's the antidote for interactive movies. A game for core gamers. An underrated hidden gem.

There's a free demo of it in the e-shop. Everyone should give it a try. And have fun.…Expand

No game has more perfectly captured the feeling of a Saturday morning cartoon. As with most Platinum games, it's over-the-top in action and scope. The story here is one of the best Platinum has come up with in my opinion. It's just cheesy and self-aware enough to allow you to take it half-seriously, but still has some great themes and development for the characters that is legitimate. TheNo game has more perfectly captured the feeling of a Saturday morning cartoon. As with most Platinum games, it's over-the-top in action and scope. The story here is one of the best Platinum has come up with in my opinion. It's just cheesy and self-aware enough to allow you to take it half-seriously, but still has some great themes and development for the characters that is legitimate. The gameplay is extremely impressive, as you have so many options in battle to choose from, all with their own style and charm. The game boasts many different types of genre, from beat-em-up, to boxing, to a shoot-em-up, and is notoriously hard even for a Platinum game. Overall I wish I could rate the game much higher, as I absolutely adored it and found myself giddy in the final tense moments, but there are some things which detract from the game. Firstly are the graphics, I would like to hope the reasoning was that much was sacrificed to ensure smooth gameplay, but I'm unsure if that's the case. The character models themselves likely could have been rendered using Gamecube technology. The colorful art direction makes up a bit for this, but it's noticeable in any scene where the Wonderful Ones are given close ups. More importantly than this aesthetic are severe camera problems. On screen you are often too small to make out where your controlled character is, and this makes it difficult to successfully dodge or counter enemy attacks. I also often found myself jumping to my death due to an unclear perspective on where I had to land, or even the camera just deciding to force me into a blind jump. These situations came up every once in a while, and they were taken into consideration with my score. If these problems hadn't persisted, this would have likely been a personal 9.5 or 10/10. Despite all this, this game deserves praise as something unique, and every Wii U owner up for a challenge should give it a shot.…Expand

Living proof that bad reviews and not creating enough hype can make an almost perfect game that finally brings innovation and a new way to play video games go unnoticed.
The people that reviewed this game couldn't realize two basic things: you need to buy two abilities (unite guts and unite spring) from the shop after you finish the tutorial and that you have to use the analog stick toLiving proof that bad reviews and not creating enough hype can make an almost perfect game that finally brings innovation and a new way to play video games go unnoticed.
The people that reviewed this game couldn't realize two basic things: you need to buy two abilities (unite guts and unite spring) from the shop after you finish the tutorial and that you have to use the analog stick to draw the unite morphs. That's it. Sure, it was a dumb design decision to lock two important abilities behind the market, but really, is it that big of a flaw?
My guess is that the other thing that made so many reviewers mad was that this game treated them as human beings with brains. It never spoon feeds the player. There's a lot to discover here, from how certain abilities work to crazy easter eggs and unlockables, and it's awesome when you go from frustration to "oh, so that's how this works" moments.
Now to stop addressing these stupid reviews and tell you more about the game.
Wonderful 101 is colorful. It's visuals make you feel like you're playing a saturday morning cartoon and it fits right in with other Wii U games like 3D World, Bayo 2, DKC:TF, Pikmin and so many other visually stunning games present in the console.
To compliment these visuals you get a silly cartoon humour that if you ever had a childhood, will bring your attention to the game's story right from the start. All of this delivered by some damn good voice acting (the synergy between wonder-blue and wonder-green especially is hilarious).
As for the gameplay, it's one of the craziest things I've ever played. You control this group of superheroes (and the number can go well over the 101 of the title, since you recruit citizens for your team) and form shapes that act like your weapons. So for instance, if you draw a hook, you get a hammer or if you draw a circle you get a fist and so on. What this allows the player is the ability to access any "weapon" at any time, so you can interact with objects specific to that weapon whenever you want or just pull out some crazy combos mixing your abilities in any way you want. The best way I can describe it is if you picked up Bayonetta's combat system and weapons, allowed her to carry all of them at the same time, added a bit of Okami and a bit of Pikmin. Still I'd be far away from telling you exactly what the mechanics of this game really are. There's a lot of depth here, especially when you finish the game for the first time and go for a new game plus on hard mode.
Oh, and did I tell you that the boss battles ARE INSANE? LIKE FREAKIN' HUGE AND WITH ALL THESE TWISTS AND SATISFYING ENDING TO THE BAD GUYS.
I'm getting close to the max limits here, so let's wrap this up, even if I feel like I'm missing 101 other reasons why this game is awesome.
If you own a Wii U and like video games, pick this game up. That's it.
If you like to play games and is bored of all of these gritty "edgy" games with the same ol' mechanics that make you feel like you're working a second job instead of having fun, buy this game.
If you like playing games and not being treated like a sack of potatoes that can't figure things out by your self, buy this game.
If you... buy this game.
It's the best game on the Wii U, that's it. All you need to know.
I really hope you guys that read this review and bought the game love it as much as I did and please, recommend it to other people! This masterpiece can go unnoticed.
Team, unite up!…Expand

This game is flipping awesome!! This is basically a fantastic combination of Pikmin and Power Rangers. It looks really nice and colorful and makes me feel like I'm watching a saturday morning cartoon! The controls could be pretty confusing at times but with patience, it will make gameplay feel really solid. My favorite part of this game has got to be the bosses because they are so goshThis game is flipping awesome!! This is basically a fantastic combination of Pikmin and Power Rangers. It looks really nice and colorful and makes me feel like I'm watching a saturday morning cartoon! The controls could be pretty confusing at times but with patience, it will make gameplay feel really solid. My favorite part of this game has got to be the bosses because they are so gosh darn memorizing! And it was always so satisfying to deal the epic finishing blow! My only complaint about this game, however, is that it can be really hard at times, but it you're up for it, it will be a blast. This game is great for fans of non-stop action and the Bayonetta series. But seriously, MORE PEOPLE NEED TO PLAY THIS GAME!…Expand

Games simply don't get much crazier than The Wonderful 101. It's pretty obvious the good folks at Platinum had a lot of fun making it, and if you allow yourself to get lost inside its over-the-top world, you might just have a lot of fun playing it as well.

You play as a group of superheroes known as the Wonderful 100 (the 101st member is you, the player). Hailing from different parts ofGames simply don't get much crazier than The Wonderful 101. It's pretty obvious the good folks at Platinum had a lot of fun making it, and if you allow yourself to get lost inside its over-the-top world, you might just have a lot of fun playing it as well.

You play as a group of superheroes known as the Wonderful 100 (the 101st member is you, the player). Hailing from different parts of the world, they boast a sort of wackiness that has somehow become rare at the superhero genre, which is extra weird when you realize how ridiculous the concepts of most superheroes are anyway. Over a colorful story about a futuristic alien invasion, the game pays homage to campy vigilantes both from USA comics and from Japan's super sentai TV shows. The presentation is very good, with a great soundtrack, excellent voice acting, and a wacky storyline that constantly makes fun of itself (like one of the antagonists constantly ridiculing the heroes' outfits by calling them "cosplayers").

The game plays like a beat-'em-up and real-time strategy hybrid, and let me just say you won't get far by simply button-mashing. Each main hero has an ability called a "Unite Morph": Wonder Red has Unite Hand (good for one-on-one fights and turning switches), Wonder Blue has Unite Sword (good against hordes of enemies and as a makeshift key), Wonder Green has Unite Gun (good against faraway enemies and fliers), and so on. You activate these abilities by drawing specific forms on the gamepad touchscreen or with the right analog, and it works very well once you get the hang of it. There are a total of seven main heros, each with their unique characteristics and specific Unite Morphs, and there are also a plethora of other abilities to get from the Wonder Mart. This forms the basis of a robust combat system, which is perhaps the game's greatest victory.

It should be said that The Wonderful 101 isn't a game for everyone, though. More casual gamers could be put off by the controls and the frantic action; this really isn't an easy game. More experienced players, however, will have a blast trying to master the plethora of attacks and defense techniques, and will get particularly blown away by some utterly epic boss battles. Words won't do them justice; they're INSANE, and amount to an unforgettable experience.

While the game's absurdly frenetic nature is definitely fun and original, sometimes the chaos is too much. This is reflected mainly when it comes to collectibles: you start with only a fraction of the Wonderful 101 in your team, and are tasked with finding new heroes (as well as memorabilia like Platinum Coins and Hero Figurines) as you brave the stages. So far, so good; the problem is that it's easy to miss little details with lack of camera control and so many things going on at once on the screen. Some of the collectibles are also hidden in totally non-intuitive ways, and the game suffers from having a lot of invisible walls arbitrarily preventing you from searching for goodies on every corner of a stage. Finally, for some reason you can't keep track of the heroes in your team in any meaningful way until you finish the game. This was a big blunder to me: each new hero comes full with name, country of origin, and all sorts of personal details, and yet the game prevents you to pore over those tidbits when you want to.

Clearly the product of a development team with a passionate vision, The Wonderful 101 is never afraid to try new things. Most often it works, sometimes it doesn't, but ultimately it oozes creativity and amounts to a very engrossing adventure. You need to give the game a chance in order for it to really win you over, but you'll few amply rewarded once it does.

The Wonderful 101 bursts with charm, humour and style. It is very easy
to care for the characters and their universe. But frequent trouble
with the controls breaks the tempo far too often. Something that also
racks up the challenge unnecessarily high in an already hard game. But
at the same time the battle system is a joy, if hard to master. It’s a
very good game with some rough edges that feels very well needed on
the Nintendo Wii U.

Full of ideas, humor and difficulty, The Wonderful 101 will keep you glued to the screen, which can be both good & bad. But a little bit of challenge from a difficult game never killed anyone, right? [Issue#234]